


Explanations Needed

by Qzeebrella



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M, POV Third Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-18
Updated: 2012-05-18
Packaged: 2017-11-05 14:16:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/407367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qzeebrella/pseuds/Qzeebrella





	Explanations Needed

I have got to tell you that there has been something going on the last couple of weeks here on Enterprise, I don't quite know what it is, but it's definitely something. I started noticing something was up shortly after those Orion women we had on board left and the crew started to get back to normal. That is, everyone but Jon and Malcolm, those two were still acting odd. Not aggressive or anything, but their behaviour was off from what it was before I joined the NX-02 and yet it wasn't anything blatant, as no one else seemed to notice any change. At first I wondered if it was just Jonny feeling awkward over the fact I requested a transfer with very little explanation, or maybe Malcolm didn't know quite how to interact with me now that I wasn't his line officer, especially since our friendship wasn't what it once was. All I knew was that something was definitely up and I wouldn't be comfortable until I could put my finger on just what was bugging me so much about Jonny and Mal's behaviour.

I think it started the day after the Orion's left, in fact I'm nearly sure that's when I first noticed something wasn't quite right. I had scheduled a meeting for me and Malcolm, to go over the repair schedule for the armoury division and see whether he needed me to lend a hand and he was a whole five minutes late. Which isn't that big a deal, we all occasionally run a little late, but this was the first time in four years that I had even heard of Mal being late to anything. If anything he's usually a little early to everything. Anyway, as I said he was five minutes late and he just looked at me and said, "I hope you can pardon my tardiness Commander, I was in the john."

I told him that of course I could pardon it, after all when you got to go you got to go and I could see how a last minute run to the bathroom could put you unavoidably behind. Later that same day I ran into Jon at lunchtime, hoping we could eat together and talk. Jonny was flushed, slightly out of breath and had a sort of shifty-eyed look about him as if he wasn't sure whether or not he had just been caught doing something he shouldn't. So I just had to ask, "what were you just up to?"

He actually told me, "nothing; I was just in the loo."

I snorted and shook my head; "you've been spending too much time with Malcolm." For some reason that made him hem and haw and make his excuses before leaving me there in the middle of the mess hall trying to figure out just what the hell just happened.

Anyway, that night when I got off of work in Engineering I swung by the Armoury to see whether Mal wanted to hang out for awhile. I stepped in the armoury just as he stepped out of the bathroom and he blushed! He actually blushed and for some reason he reached behind him to make sure the door was closed and said really loud, "Hello Trip."

I just sort of looked at him since he really was acting weird, "Mal? What's going on?"

He glared at me and sniffed, "I really do not see why you would need to know what's going on. After all, I was just in the john. Now if you don't mind, I'm heading for a bite to eat."

I just gawked at him a little and followed him as he walked past. "Mal, I'm sorry, it wasn't any of my business. Can I buy you dinner to make up for it?" He sighed and half-nodded so I followed him out of the Armoury.

I just know there must be something going on, after all every day since then any time I see Jonny he blushes and then tells me its because he's just been in the loo, or to the loo. Any time I see Mal he has a smirk on his face, he tells me he's come from being in the john, or has just been on the john. He also has this little swagger in his step all the time now and well that is just odd. I had never known my friends to be so free in telling me they had just been to the bathroom, the fact they were telling me so two or three times a day threw me a little. It also threw me that Mal seemed to be doing it a little more often than the cap'n was. After all Jonny would just tell me that about once a day or so, but Mal was forever in or on the john. Frankly, I was worried he had an intestinal problem or something and was just a hair's breadth away from telling him to go see Phlox about it.

In fact I was on my way toward Mal's to try to convince him to go see Phlox, but I was taking the 'round and about route trying to figure out just how to put the request without my friend going apeshit on me. I was just rounding the corner that lead to Jonny's and away from Mal's, to give himself a bit more time to come up with the right words when Mal nearly tackled me.

"Trip!" He exclaimed and actually blushed, which he rarely does even if it is a nice look for him, "sorry about that," he stammered, looking a bit nervous, "but I was...I just came out of the john." Then looked away and I just looked at him since we were no where near a public bathroom and there was just no way his explanation was believable and I was just about to call him on it when Jonny's door opened.

"Mal, wait up you forgot..." Jonny trailed off when he saw me, looking at me, then Mal, then me and then shifting on his feet like a kid caught with one hand in a cookie jar. A pair of padded handcuffs was dangling from one hand, his robe was slightly open, and he looked as if he had just been ridden hard and put away wet. While I stood there gaping like a landed fish, Mal walked up to Jonny as calm as you please, pocketed the cuffs and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow love." Mal said softly and then he walked away.

Jonny turned to look at me again and seemed at a lost as to what to say. I swallowed hard and just walked up to him with pursed lips. "Well, this would explain why you're much more relaxed and happy." I said, "you two seem good for each other, I'm glad for you both." He thanked me and I went on my way, a bit flabbergasted. I never did peg Jonny and Mal as a potential couple, but they seemed to get along like gangbusters.

I wasn't sure quite how to deal with my newfound knowledge yet, but I was sure I would adjust to their new relationship eventually. If nothing else, they had managed to impress me with their stamina. It amazed me and intimidated me just a bit that they were able to go at each other two or three times a day if not more. As I walked home I tried not to picture Mal and Jon together and tried not to chuckle at how they were keeping their arrangement under wraps. "I was just in the Jon or Lieu(tenant)" indeed.


End file.
